Last month, rising star Jade Bird stopped by the office for a Baeble NEXT Session. The British singer, influenced by Americana folk and a passion for songwriting, began to make a name for herself in London by playing as many gigs as she can, more recently making her way into the UK festival world. On July 7, Jade Bird released her debut EP, Something American, with Glassnote Records. The EP features simple instrumentation and production that showcases Jade Bird's powerful vocals and impressive songwriting.

This session features Jade Bird playing songs from her debut EP, including "Good Woman," "Something American," and "Cathedral." Her charming personality comes through both in her performances and her conversation. Between songs, Jade Bird talks about playing gigs and competitions in Wales before moving to London at 16 to perform, taking songwriting inspiration from her heroes, and using her experience of dealing with divorce in her family as the substance for her own songwriting. If you don't already know who Jade Bird is, this session will convince you that you should. She's genuine, charming, and her passion for music and songwriting comes through powerfully in performance. Watch and see for yourself.

Transcript

- Feels like I'm on the border again. Who am I? My name is Jade Bird. So we just released an EP last Friday and so, I'm out here trying to spread the word and seeing who likes it, basically. Yeah? We're live. Are we live? - We're live. - Oh. One minute, you told two lies That you love me and it was you and I One minute, I came to see half a man of what you used to be Did it take a minute for her to steal everything you thought that was real? Or maybe longer an hour or more? Before she took you out to the hotel floor. Did you die yourself? And not look back? Babe, you're giving me a heart attack. Oh, what are you thinking? What do you take me for? Oh, what are you thinking? She's cheaper than a dollar store version of me, version of me, version of me, version of me version of me, version of me, version of me Does she wear things that I don't Saying things that are grueling my world Well, she's got you right where you had me, right between the heart. Oh, isn't she a dream Did you die yourself? And not look back? Babe, you're giving me heart attack. Oh, what are you thinking? What do you take me for? Oh, what are you thinking? She's cheaper than a dollar store version of me. Good woman, I'm a good, good woman but you still want more, yeah, you still want more. Good woman, I'm a good, good woman but you still want more. Yeah, you still want more. Good woman, I'm a good, good woman, I'm a good, good woman but you still want more. Good woman, I'm a good, good woman, I'm a good, good woman. Did you die yourself and not look back? Babe, you're giving me a heart attack. Oh, what are you thinking What do you take me for? Oh, what are you thinking? She's cheaper than a dollar store version of me - So, when I was really young, I mean, I played classical piano for seven or eight. But when I was 12, 13, my mum's ex-partner used to play guitar and I kind of was very inspired by that. Used to make three chords look really cool. And then, they split and I kind of just used it as a bit of a therapy in that way, almost. I mean, you know, family ties are quite...That's the reason why weddings and the wolves come up a lot. Like, we've got generations of bad omen for me, basically. No, somewhere in all, I've always felt a little like, you have to have some substance to it, you know? And if you don't, you have to kind of go out and have a bit of break up yourself. But I'm fortunate enough to have lots of divorce in my family. So, I can write for real. - I was banging on all the doors. No, I started playing like, competitions and gigs in Wales since I was like 13, 14. Anything I could kind of do, I did. My mum drove me everywhere. And then 16, like I said, I went to London and played everything, every room I could possibly play. Be it empty, generally empty. I mean the end of last year, January, I was kind of talking to my mum like, over breakfast. I remember it was like, "Why is nothing happening?" You know? And that's a bit crazy for me. Like, last January and now I'm here in New York. That's a bit crazy. Okay, this one's called, Something American. It's off the new EP, came out last Friday. Go on and check that out, everyone. Check that out. We knew each other when we were very young. High school sweethearts or something American. Now, we've become older, I only see photos. She's what I thought, something American Something American. But you don't call me now and I don't think too much about you. But when she's not around, I can feel you're lonely Oh, I can feel you're lonely somehow. I'm not nice like her, won't wear white like her, Don't live life with the pages mapped out. No, I'm not perfect. But then no one is. We're all reaching for something American. You don't call me now and I don't think too much about you. But when she's not around, I can feel you're lonely. I can feel you all night. In my dreams I find, The stars align and they all collide. And it's you and I. Oh, back in time, it feels so right. But you don't call me now And I don't think too much about you But when she's not around I can feel you're lonely, oh I can feel you're lonely somehow. We knew each other when we were very young. High school sweethearts or something American. - So, initially I mean, I wrote that song about a year or two ago now. Which was strange because you can kind of see, how much revolves in this space of anywhere. And then that's happened to quite a few I was at recently. But yeah, for me when I wrote it, it was almost ironically, about something America being like the dream. And kind of reflecting on a relationship and being like, you know, you went for the obvious thing which was a cliche. You know, you went for the woman who is perfect, and blonde, and blah, blah blah. And wishing for that something American relationship, like kind of...it's the American dream basically, I was playing on that. Yeah. Heroes, probably, I always bang on about Chris Stapleton, I'm particularly into. - Really? - Yeah, Alanis Morissette. Patti Smith is my ultimate hero. I kind of love that she's just so cool, Patti Smith. You just can't...they just don't make them like that anymore, as they say. No, she's my poster girl. I woke all in white, right in the middle of the knife. I hoped but knew that I had left you with no reason why. And I know I wasn't kind and you probably lost your mind. But, oh, I couldn't find one reason Not to run a mile I heard it from the aisle of the cathedral. Baby, I was gonna break your heart. Hidden in the vows there's something evil, Knew we had to stop before we started. And we torture each other and wonder why We have a promise until we died and I swore that I'd never leave you behind but I've seen the light, oh, I've seen the light. You made me feel so safe. I recall it like it's yesterday Arranged like a thought-out maze. I tried, but couldn't find a way. I was screaming out then you told me that we were bound. I was screaming out, now all I hear is the sound. I heard it from the aisle of the cathedral. Baby, I was gonna break your heart. Hidden in the vows there's something evil, Knew we had to stop before we started. And we torture each other and wonder why We have a promise until we died. And I swore that I'd never leave you behind but I've seen the light, oh, I've seen the light. Said I've seen the light, oh, I've seen the light. - Hi, I'm Jade Bird. And you're watching Baeble Music.

Artist Bio

'Jade Bird is a rising star on the London music scene, delivering a fantastic mix of country, pop and folk with a voice that can silence the busiest bar. She has a charm that melts the hardest heart and her exceptional songwriting talent ensures Jade is destined for the spotlight.

Working on her debut EP at the moment with gigs lined up around the country, we know it won't be long before Jade Bird is a household name.'